19. Fruitcake

Young Amelia was sitting in the living room reading a book, as she tried to bide the time until Christmas Dinner was ready. She would have offered to help, but their mother was always fussy about the cooking help and she’d much rather help by staying out of the way. She didn’t need the headaches of her mother’s scolding that she was cutting the carrots the wrong way.

She turned another page in her book, just as her young brother who was a mere four or five years old - the youngest of the Rose clan - decided to come running into the room and climbing on the couch where Amelia was sitting. “Vrroooomm, vroom… “ He said, making car noises as he was holding one of the metal cars in his hand.

“Aaron, honestly, do you have to be such a fruitcake? Go play with Alex.” She rolled her eyes, sliding the bookmark into the page as she knew reading time was officially over.